TEN individuals who were indicted for illegally entering Guam by boat have pled guilty to the charge.
In Criminal Case 22-00013, Guoqin She and Youhou Luo pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens on Nov. 17, 2022.
On Dec. 13, 2022, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI sentenced She to imprisonment of time served (31 days) and two years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100.
Luo was sentenced to imprisonment of time served (32 days) and two years of supervised release. He, too, will pay a special assessment fee of $100.
Both defendants were ordered to perform community service in lieu of fine, but this requirement shall be waived if the defendants voluntarily depart within the time frame pursuant to the plea agreement.
There was no information regarding Caiping Guan, a co-defendant in Criminal Case 22-00013.
In Criminal Case 22-00014, Fu Li pled guilty on Nov. 22, 2022, Guoshen Zheng pled guilty on Nov. 30, 2022, and Haiyan Lu pled guilty on Dec. 13, 2022.
Judge Manglona will sentence the three defendants on Jan. 27, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.
There was no court information regarding their co-defendants Xiang Li, Shuyuan Wang, Xunan Shangguan, Ying Liu, and Xiuying Wu.
In Criminal Case 22-00015, Xiaojuan Sun pled guilty on Nov. 30, 2022; Weifu Zhang and Bingxing Gao pled guilty on Nov. 17, 2022; Suling Jin pled guilty on Nov. 28, 2022; and Liangxian Zhang pled guilty on Dec. 5, 2022.
Judge Manglona scheduled their sentencing for July 9, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.
There was no information about their co-defendants Shougao Liu, Wenliang Ma, and Xiaohui Zhu.
The federal court has released all 10 defendants on their personal recognizance with conditions.
On Oct. 14, 2022, the Chinese nationals accused of illegally entering Guam by boat were indicted by a grand jury. The individuals are believed to have no valid U.S. visas.
According to the indictment, on or about July 29, 2022, “defendants pooled money together to purchase a boat for $32,000 on the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The boat, which is approximately 26 feet in length with a white fiberglass hull and motorized propeller, with CNMI boat registration number CM 0057 CP, was used by the eight defendants, and one additional Chinese citizen who did not have lawful immigration status, to complete transportation from the CNMI to Guam on or about July 31, 2022. A boat was used for transportation because the Chinese citizens wanted to avoid immigration processes that was anticipated if travel was completed by commercial airplane. Authorities located the boat in the Hagåtña Boat Basin in Guam after it came ashore to Guam from the CNMI with all nine Chinese citizens on July 31, 2022.”
If they are convicted, the U.S. government wants the defendants to forfeit any conveyance used to carry out the offense they are being charged for, “including any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft used in the commission of the offense of which the defendants are convicted; and any property real or personal that constitutes, or is derived from or is traceable to proceeds obtained directly or indirectly from the commission of the offense of which the defendants are convicted; or that is used to facilitate, or is intended to be used to facilitate, the commission of the offense of which the defendants are convicted.”
The defendants were represented by court-appointed attorneys and were provided interpreters during the court proceedings.
